The title chances of the handball players of Drenth Groep Hurry-Up have been lost. The Zwartemeerders lost 32-33 at home against leader Lions on Saturday evening and can no longer reach the final matches.
Hurry-Up sold its skin dearly against Lions, which is leading in the battle for the championship in the HandbalNL-League. Coach Joop Fiege’s team from Drenthe should have won to have a chance at second place. The number two, currently Aalsmeer, will play the final matches against Lions after the end of the regular season. The backlog of Hurry-Up has stretched too far due to the loss.
The Drenten fought against top team Lions from Sittard for their last chance. A blistering fight immediately ensued, in which Hurry-Up was equal to the visitors for a long time. However, two lesser periods played tricks on the Zwartemeer team. In the first half, that led to a 7-11 deficit for Hurry-Up, which then showed once again that it had a good dose of healthy fighting spirit. Under the leadership of playmaker Patrick Miedema, Hurry-Up battled pretty close point by point.
Great enthusiasm among the supporters in Zwartemeer
Under the great enthusiasm of the several hundred home supporters, that even led to an 18-17 lead for Hurry-Up just before the break. However, the Drenths could not take them to the dressing room. The experienced and crafty Jasper Adams threw the equalizer behind goalkeeper Boris Tot of Hurry-Up four seconds before the first thirty minutes had passed.
In the second half, anything was still possible for the Zwartemeerders. But once again, the deadly accurate Lions were able to take advantage of Hurry-Up’s misses and ball loss. The Limburgers ran out to a 19-24 and 22-27 lead and seemed to be on their way to an easy victory. But again Hurry-Up set itself up and showed the necessary fighting spirit with, among others, veteran Ronald Suelmann.
Five minutes before time it is 30-31
Hurry-Up once again made it very difficult for Lions and fought back to 30-31 five minutes from time. Everything still seemed possible. But because Miedema shot just over the Lions goal in the final phase and Brent Riksten was right next to it, a stunt for the home team was no longer an option. Via 30-32, 31-32 and 32-33 the absolute final phase started. Lions saw a final attack fail, but the time remaining – just 4 seconds – was too short for Hurry-Up to produce another equalizer. Suelmann threw at the enemy goal from his own half, but saw his hopeless shot go wide.
Immediately afterwards, the game was over for the home team, who started without covering specialist Nicolai Schoemaker, who was injured in his eye. The team also had to make do against Lions without Portuguese circle player Valter Soares, who was out with hamstring problems. For Hurry-Up, despite the elimination this season, there is certainly still a prize to be won. On May 18, coach Fiege and his men will face Volendam in the cup final in Almere.